Oregon family featured on 'Extreme Makeover'

A welcome disruption hit the Corvallis area this weekend as the cast and crew of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" descended upon one family's home.

Rob and Rachel were selected to receive a brand-new home. Their 8-year old daughter, Jenessa &

known to her friends and family as Boey, has a rare form of childhood cancer and is fighting a recurrence. Meanwhile, the girl is also fighting to find a cure for cancer, even enlisting the help of Sen. Ron Wyden in her battle to save other children from going through what she knows all too well is the hardest battle of her life.

This is the first time the show has filmed in Oregon.

The es bought their 2-acre property and home as a fixer-upper, intending to slowly make the many repairs needed to create their dream home. But Boey's cancer canceled all those plans as the family's time, energy and finances have been poured into taking care of her.

Because the older home isn't up to modern standards, it does not provide the clean and sterile environment Boey needs, especially during her chemotherapy treatments. That's where "Extreme Makeover" comes in.

The new house will have four bedrooms, three and a half baths and new landscaping, as well as a new water system. From the foundation to the paint to the brand-new living room lamps, the entire project will be complete by the end of the week and will be almost entirely done with local work and products.

The weeklong project is entirely based on the help of volunte and donations.

Jim Chapman, president of Legend Homes said there was no question his company would be willing to help.

"How can you not?" Chapman said. "It's a pretty compelling story."

His company committed to building a state-of-the-art, 4,000-square-foot home in a matter of 106 working hours. That means coordinating around 2,000 volunte, from Legend employees to subcontractors to community memb.

"I'm stunned by the outpouring of help," Chapman said.

Executive producer Diane Korman said the family was being sent to Hilton Head resort in South Carolina for the week to relax while their old home is being demolished and a new one built in its place.

She said Boey's determination to pass legislation on childhood cancer research made her and her family the perfect candidates for the show.

"For an 8-year-old to have such strong convictions and be a leader," Korman said, "is inspirational."

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